If so be that of parfitenesse,

Thou hast vowed to live in chastitee,
Than woll folke, of thy person expresse,
Thou art impotent tengendre in thy degree,
And thus where thou be chaste or dessavy,
Suffre hem speake, and trust right well this,
A wicked tongue woll alway deme amis.

If thou be fatte other corpolent,

Than wol they sain thou art a great gloton,
A devourer, or els vinolent,

If thou be leane or megre of fashion,
Call thee a nigard in their opinion,
Suffre them speake, and trust right wel this,
A wicked tonge woll away deme amis.

If thou be rich, some woll yeve thee laude,
And say it commeth of prudent governaunce,
And some wol saine it commeth of fraude,
Other by sleight, or false chevisaunce,

To sain the worst, folke have so great pleasaunce,
What suffre hem say, and trust right wel this,
A wicked tonge woll alway deme amis.

If thou be sadde or sobre of countenaunce,
Men woll sain thou thinkest some treason,
And if thou be glad of daliaunce,
Men woll deme it desolution,
And call faire speach adulacion,

Yet let hem speak, and trust right well this,
A wicked tonge wol alway deme amis.

Who that is holy by perfection,
Men of malice woll clip him ypocrite,
And who is mery of clene entention,
Men sain in riot he doth him delite,

Some mourn in blacke, some love in clothes white,
Suffre men speake, and trust right well this,
A wicked tonge woll alway deme amis.

Honest aray men deme it pompe and pride,
And who goeth poore, men cail him a waster,
And who goeth still men mark him on that side,
Seine that he is a spy or agiler:

Who wasteth not, men sain he hath treasour,
Whereof conclude and trust right well this,
A wicked tonge will alway deme amis.

Who speketh moch men clepeth him prudent,
Who that debateth, men saine that he is hardy,
And who saith litel with great sentement,
Some folke yet wol wite him of foly,
Trouth is put down, and vp goth flattery,
And who that list plainly know the cause of this,
A wicked tonge woll alway deme amis.

For though a man were as pacient,
As was David throw his humilite,

Or with Salomon in wisedome as prudent,
Or in knighthode egall with Josue,
Or manly proved, as Judas Machabe,
Yet for al that, trust right well this,
A wicked tonge woll alway deme amis.

And though a man had the prowesse
Of worthy Hector, Troys champion,
The love of Troylus, or the kindnesse,
Or of Cesar the famous high renoun,
With all Alexaunders dominacioun,
Yet for all that trust right well this,
A wicked tonge woll alway deme amis.

Or though a man of high or low degree,
Of Tullius had the sugred eloquence,

Or of Seneca the moralitee,

Or of Caton forsight and providence,

The conquest of Charles, Artures magnificence, Yet for all that trust right well this,

A wicked tonge woll alway deme amis.

Touching of women, that parfit innocence
Though that they had, of Hester the noblenesse,
Or of Gresilde, the humble pacience,
Or of Judith, the preuid stablenesse,
Or Polixcenes virginall clennesse,

Yet dare I seine, and trust right wel this,
Some wicked tong would deme of them amis.

The wifely trouth of Penelope
Though they it had in hir possession,
Helenes beauty, the kindnesse of Medee,
The loue vnfayned of Martia Caton,
Or Alcestes trewe affection,

Yet dare I saine and trust right well this,
A wicked tonge wol alway deme amis.

Than sooth it is that no man may eschew
The swerd of tonges, but it will kerve and bite,
Full hard it is a man for to remew,
Out of their daunger him for to aquite,
Wo to the tonges that hemselfe delite,
To hinder or slaunder, and set their study in this,
And their pleasaunces to deme alway amis.

Most noble princes, cherishers of vertue,
Remembreth you of high discretion,
The first vertue most pleasing to Jesu,
(By the writing and sentence of Caton)
Is a good tonge in his opinion,

Chastise the reverse of wisedome do this,
Uoideth your hearing from al that deme amis.

A BALLAD

IN THE PRAISE AND COMMENDATION OF MASTER GEFFERY
CHAUCER, FOR HIS GOLDEN ELOQUENCE.

MAISTER Geffray Chaucer, that now lithe in grave,
The noble rhetoricion, and poet of Great Britaine,
That worthy was that laurer of poetry to have
For this his labour, and the palme to attain,
Which first made to distil, and rein,
The gold dewe dropes, of spech and eloquence,
Into English tonge, through his excellence.

EXPLICIT.

557

Also that freshe somer floures,
White and rede, blewe and greene,
Been sodenly, with winter shoures,
Made feinte and fade, without wene:
That trust is none as ye may seene,
In no thing, nor no stedfastness,
Except in women, thus I meene,
Yet aye beware of doubleness.

The croked Mone, this is no tale,

Some while yshene and bright of hewe,
And after that full derke and pale,
And euery moneth chaungeth newe,
That who the veray soth knewe,
All things is bilt on brotleness,
Saue that women aye be trewe,
Yet aye beware of doubleness.

The lusty freshe sommers day,
And Phebus with his beames clere,
Towards night they drawe away
And none lenger list appere,
That in this present life now here,
Nothing abideth in his faireness,
Saue women aye be found intere,
And deuoide of doubleness.

The sea eke, with his sterne wawes,
Eche day floweth new againe,
And by concours of his lawes

The ebbe floweth in certaine :

After grete drought, there cometh a raine,
That farewel here all stabelness,
Saue that women be hole and plaine,
Yet aye beware of doubleness.

Fortunes whele goeth round about,
A thousand times, day and night,
Whose course standeth euer in doubt,
For to transmew, she is so light,
For which aduerteth in your sight,
The vntrust of worldy fikelness,
Saue women, which of kindly right,
Ne hath no teche of doubleness.

What man may the wind restraine,
Or hold a snake by the taile,
Or a slipper ele constraine,
That it will voide, without faile,
Or who can driue so a naile,
To make sure new fongleness,
Saue women that can gie their saile,
To row their boote with doubleness.

At euery hauen they can ariue,
Where as they wote is good passage,
Of innocence they can not striue,
With wawes nor no rockes rage,
So happy is their lodemanage,

With needle and stone their course to dress,
That Salomon was not so sage,
To find in them no doubleness.

Therefore who so them accuse,
Of any double entencion,
To speake, rowne, other to muse,
To pinch at their condicion,
All is but false collusion,

I dare rightwell the sothe express,
They haue no better protection,
But shrowd them vnder doubleness.

So well fortuned is their chaunce,
The dice to turne vp so doune,
With sise and sincke they can auaunce,
And than by reuolucion,

They set a fell conclusion,
Of lombes, as in soothfastness,
Though clerkes make mencion,
Their kinde is fret with doubleness.

Sampson had experience,

That women were full trew yfound,
Whan Dalyda of innocence,
With sheeres gan his heere to round,
To speake also of Rosamound,
And Cleopatris faithfulness,
The stories plainly will confound,
Men that apeche their doubleness.

Single thing ne is not praised,
Nor of old is of no renoun,

In balaunce whan they be peised,
For lacke of waight they be bore doun,
And for this cause of just reason.
These women all of rightwiseness,
Of choise and free election,

Moste loue eschaunge and doubleness.

LENUOYE,

O YE women which been enclined,
By influence of your nature,
To been as pure as gold yfined,
In your truth for to endure,
Arme your selfe in strong armure,
Least men assaile your sikerness,
Set on your brest your selfe to assure,
A mighty shield of doubleness.

EXPLICIT.

THIS WORK FOLLOWING WAS COMPILED BY CHAUCER, AND IT IS CALLED

THE CRAFT OF LOVERS1.

MORAL is a similitude who liste their balades sewe,
The craft of loues curious arguments,

For some been false and some been founden trewe,
And some been double of entendements,
Thus louers with their morall documents,
And eloquent langage they can examplifie,
The craft of loue what it doth signifie.

Who list vnto this balades have inspection,
Thinke that loves lordships excellent,
Is remedy for disease and correction,
To wofull herte and body impotent,
Suppose the maker that he be negligent
In his compilyng hold him excusable,
Because his spirites be sory and lamentable.

"Most soverain lady surmounting your noblenes,
O intenuate ienipre and daisie delicious
My trust, mine helth, my cordiall foundres,
O medicine sanatife to sores langorous,

O comfortable creature of lovers amorous,

1 Ritson attributes this to Lydgate.

O excellent herber of lovely countenaunce,
Ye regester my love in your remembraunce."

"Me semeth by langage ye be some protestate
Or else some curious gloser disceuable,
What is your name mekely I make regrate,
Or of what science or craft commendable,

"Certes sir your painted eloquence,
So gay, so fresh and eke so talcatife,

It doth transcend the wit of dame Prudence,
For to declare your thought or to discrive,
So gloriously glad langage ye contrive,

Of your conceit, your thought, and your entent,
I will beware for drede or I be stent."

"O rubicunde rose, and white as the lilly,
O clarified christal of worldly portraiture,
O courfin figure resplendent with glory,
O gem of beaute, o carboncle shining pure,
Your fairnes excedeth the craft of dame Nature
Most womanly behaving your lovely countenaunce,
Ye regester my love in your remembraunce."

"What availeth sir your proclamacion,
Of curious talking, not touching to sadnes,
It is but winde, flattering, and adulacion,
Imesurable thought of worldly wildnes,
Which is cheife cause of ghostly feblenes,
Your wil, your thought, your double entendement,
I wil beware of drede, or I be shent."

"My wit, my thought, and mine invencion,
Is for to please you my lady soverain,
And for your love throw many a region

I would be exiled, so that ye wold not disdain
To have pity on me whan I complain,
In wele and wo to suffre perturbaunce,
So that ye woll have me in remembraunce."

"What is your will plainly ye do expresse,
That maketh this curious supplicacion,
Say on sir on hertely tendernesse,
Beth well advised of vaine delectacion,
At your beginning thinke on the terminacion,
Pass not your boundes be not too negligent,
And ever beware for drede or ye be shent."

I am a lady excellent, and honorable,
He must be gay that should be to mine entent,
Wherefore I will be ware or I be shent."

"Lord God this is a sharpe examinacion,
Of her that is most in my menory,
Unto you lady I make certificacion,
My name is trew loue of carnal desidery,
Of mans copulacion the very exemplary,
Which am one of your scruaunts of pleasaunce,
I must be cheefe called to remembraunce."

"I haue sought true loue of yeres great proces,
Yet found I neuer loue but for a season,
Some men be diuerse and know no gentilnes,
And some lacke both wisedome and reason,
In some men is trust, in some men is treason,
Wherfore I will conclude my auisement,
And ever beware for drede that I be shent."

"The rectour Tullius so gay of eloquence,
And Ovide that sheweth the craft of loue expres,
With habundaunce of Salomons prudence,
And pulcritude of Absalons fairenesse,
And I were possessed with Jobs great richesse
Manly as Sampson my person to auance,
Yet shuld I submit me in your remembrance."

"Now sir if that it pleaseth your noblenesse
To give aduertence to my question,
What thing is pleasure of sweetnesse,
And is most bitter in final successon?
Or what thing giveth man occasion
In tender age for to be concupiscent?
Resolue this question or drede sir ye be shent.”

"My soueraigne lady, Ouide in his writing
Saith that desire of worldly concupiscence
As for a time is sweete in his worching,
And in his end he causeth great offence:
Notwithstanding my lady dame Prudence,
Green flowring age, a manly countenaunce

naunce

Maketh me incline to do you reverence,
Your lovely loking your glorious governance
Overcometh my spirits my wit and my prudence
Some drop of grace, of your magnificence,
Unto your servaunt ye shew attendaunce,
And regester my love in your remembraunce."

"O comberous thought of mans fragility,
O fervent will of lustes furious,
O cruel corage causing adversity,
Of womens corrupcion and eke contrarious,
Remember man that chaunge is perilous,
To breke the virginity of virgines innocent,
Wherfore beware wankind or thou be shent."

"My peine is preuy, impossible to deserne
My lamentable thoughts by casting mourning,
O general judge Jesu sitting superne,
Graciously convert that loue of my swete thing,
O amiable lady gracious and beninge,
I put me wholy in your gouernaunce,
Exile me not out of your remembraunce."

"Your goodly answer so notable in substaunce, Wold cause the herte of womanhede conuert Unto delite of natural pleasaunce:

But of one thing I wold faine be expert,
Why mens langage wol procure and transuert
The will of women and virgines innocent?
Wherefore I am aferd or I be shent."

"Let neuer the loue of true loue be losed,
(My soueraine lady) in no maner wise,
In your confidence my wordes I haue closed,
My amiable loue to you I do promise,
So that ye knit the knot of exercise,
Both lock and key ye haue in gouernance,
Emprint my loue in your remembrance."
"O very trust and I were certefied,
The plain entention of your hertes cordiall,
Me seemeth in blisse than were I glorified,
Unto your pleasure I would be at your call,
But euer I feare of chaunces casuall,
Of fraude, disceipt, and langage insolent,
Than were I sure maidenhed should be shent."

"Ther was neuer tresour of terrestrial riches,
Nor precious stones rekened innumerable,
To be of comparison vnto your high goodnes,
Aboue all creatures to me most amiable,
Trust not the contrary I was neuer disceuable,
Keep well true loue, forge no dissemblance,
And graciously take me to your remembrance,"

Me semeth by feiture of womanly properte,
Ye shuld be trusty and trewe of promis,
I finde in you no false duplicite,
Wherefore true loue ye haue my herte I wis,
And euermore shall endure so haue I blis,
The federasie made with good auisement,
God graunt grace that nether of vs be shent."

Whan Phebus fresh was in chare splendent,
In the moneth of May erly in a morning,
I hard two louers profer this argument,
In the yeere of our Lord a M. by rekening,
CCCXL. and UIII. yeere following,

O potent princesse conserue true louers all,
And grant them thy region and blisse celestiall.

EXPLICIT THE Craft of louerS.

A BALLAD.

Or their nature they greatly them delite,
With holy face feined for the nones,
In saintwary their frends to visite,
More for reliques than for saincts bones,
Though they be closed vnder precious stones,
To gete them pardon like their old vsages,
To kisse no shrines but lusty quike images.

THE

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE.
CERTES ferre extendeth yet my reason,
This matter as it should be, to discriae,
But I trust your grace will in this season,
Consider how with conning that I striue,
For in his fauour coud I neuer arriue,
Eloquence this ballad hath in great despite,
The maker lacketh maner to endite.

Of Loues commandments x. is the number,
As afterward shall rudely be rehearsed,
And louers in no wise depart asunder,
Where as they be obserued and redressed,
Daunger and vnkindnesse been oppressed,
And that is commaunded this to make,
Is your owne all other to forsake.

FAITH.

Faith is the first and principally to tell,
Uery loue requireth soch credence,
That eche beleue other as true as the gospel,
Without adulacion or flattering audience,
In true meaning and trusty confidence,
Paint not your conning with colour ne fable,
For than your loue must needs be vnstable.

ENTENCION.

In the second to treate of entencion,
Your louer to please do your busie cure,
For as min author Romance maketh mencion,
Without entent your loue may not endure,
As women will thereof I am right sure,
Endeuour with herte, will, and thought,
To please him onely that hir loue hath sought.

DISCRECION.

In your dealing euer be discrete,

Set not your loue there as it shall be losed, Aduertise in your mind whether he be mete,

All their humility is exiled away,

And the cruel hertes beginneth to awake,
They do all the besie cure that they can or may,
To vexe their houshold maisters that soth for to say
Wherfore ye yong men I rede you for thy,
Beware alway, the blind eats many a fly.

Of this mater I dare make no lenger relacion,
For in default of slepe my spirits wexen faint
In my study I haue had so long an habitacion
That my body and my gost are grenously attaint
And therfore of this proces I make no lenger com-
plaint

But whether that blind eat flesh or fish
I pray God keepe the fly out of my dish.

Now I make an end, and lay me doun to rest,
For I know by experience verament,
If maidens and wiues knew and wist,
Who made the matter he should be shent,
Wherefore I pray God omnipotent,
Him saue and keepe both night and day.
Written in the lusty season of May.

EXPLICIT.

And after as you find him than disposed,
Point by discretion your hour, time and place,
Conueniently meting with arms to embrace.

PACIENCE.

Of these commandments, the iv. is pacience,
Tho by irous corage your louer be meued,
With soft wordes and humble obedience,
His wrath may sone be swaged and releued,
And thus his loue obteined and acheued,
Will in you roote with greater diligence,
Bicause of your meke and womanly pacience,

SECRETNESSE.

Secretly behaue you in your werks,

In shewing countenance or meuing of your iye,
Though soch behauor to some folk be derke,
He that hath loued will it soone aspie,
Thus your selfe your counsaile may descrie,
Make priuy to your deling as few as ye may
For iii, may keep a counsel if twain be away.

PRUDENCE.

Let prudence be gouernor of your bridel reine,
Set not your loue in so feruent wise,
But that in goodly hast ye may refreine,
If your louer list you to dispise,

Romaunce mine auctour wold you this aduise,
To slacke your loue, for if ye do not so,
That wanton lust will tourne you into wo.